


For Those We Have Lost

by aria_vitali



Series: Collections of History Unwritten [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Comrades, Death, Despair, F/M, Friendship/Love, Grief/Mourning, Hope vs. Despair, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Loss, Love, Regret, Secret Identity, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21662710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aria_vitali/pseuds/aria_vitali
Summary: In the shadow of his hood, his ruby eyes watched her go. Though he stood at the charge, the Exarch was very much following her lead, just as he observed the Warrior's ever changing emotion contorting her face. Whilst he meant to show her the plight of the First, the experience at Holminster Switch served to display her inner turmoil instead.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch & Original Character(s), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Original Character(s), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Series: Collections of History Unwritten [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1541752
Kudos: 11





	For Those We Have Lost

The look in Aria’s eyes was not one that G’raha would ever wish to see. Those amethysts that once sparkled with childish excitement darkened to despair at the sight before her. Despite his desires, it was he that had summoned her, summoned all of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn to the First. If this world was to be saved, if Aria was to be spared from an early grave, he needed to play his part.

So, it was as the Crystal Exarch that he brought the Warrior and the Leveilleur twins to the gates leading to Holminster Switch. He implored them to aid in the defense against the sin eaters. After all, he knew his Warrior to learn best by experience and what better way to learn the sufferings of this world than through battle? Of course, he wouldn’t dare leave her to her devices - none of her adventurer friends were with her.

The main party that entered was the Exarch, joined by Lyna, Alphinaud and Aria. The Warrior pleaded Alisaie to remain behind so that she would be able to assist with any stragglers that get lost or missed. Yet, from the way her eyes twinkled, the Exarch knew there was something beyond a simple reason. Nonetheless, everyone had their place and they carried on.

Aria was not at the slightest baffled by the way the greater sin eater took down the brown bear, who had transformed to a sin eater all the same in a startlingly short period of time. Instead, her expression contorted to a grimace upon the form of the greater sin eater itself. It displayed recognition, as if she had met the creature once before.

The Exarch’s suspicions seemed to form true. The first trial that awaited them was their battle against the angel-like creature at the Wound, Aria’s bloodlust had emanated from her like an overflowing veil. She spared no reservoir of her red magick, expending all her strength - both physical and aetherial - to taking it down. Such was the surprise that she had the ability to _hate_ that the young Scion had grown concerned. Thus, when the sin eater was defeated, Aria took a moment to glare down at the fading light before carrying on all the same.

The sight that the Warrior beheld the moment they stepped outside the forest had her filled with despair. The Exarch didn’t notice at first as he was shouting for the surviving villagers to retreat and take refuge in the Crystarium. It was only when Lyna had called her and Alphinaud to steel their hearts, to which the young man answered: _“for those we can yet save”_.

Then, they reached the Auction to which a newly born sin eater awaited. Seeing no way around it, the Exarch clicked his tongue and spoke towards his company.

“We leave none behind us. Put it down.”

Aria faltered then. The Exarch heard the woman make a strangled sound and when he shifted his gaze, her eyes were wide with fear. With hopelessness. However, he didn’t have time to theorize why, for the creature had released a screech that seemed to shake the earth beneath them. He was left with no other choice but to engage with the sin eater before its attention was found locked on to his Warrior’s.

Aria took one step forward, then two. Three. She was definitely the last one left behind as she mustered up resolve to take arms once more. The Exarch saw her take a deep breath from the corner of his eye and rush in with her rapier. 

Compared to the merciless display she recently performed, she was meek and mellow now. Her eyes were calculating, her strikes precise but not committed. Aria wasn’t harming to kill, but to bide time as she searched. For what she searched for, the Exarch couldn’t say, but he recognized the exact moment she had abandoned her thoughts to put the sin eater to the sword. 

When the deed was carried out and both Lyna and Alphinaud fretted over how Aria had gone pale, the Exarch could only see the anguish on her face. Indeed, it was the same one she had given when she realized centuries ago that he was to seal himself away within the Crystal Tower - an expression that begged to ask: “Was there no other way?”

“Ah…” G’raha murmured loud enough only for Aria to hear amidst the chaos. “Your eyes tell the tale.”

G’raha realized that his mask had slipped when her gaze fell upon his. Quickly, he shifted himself to be as the Exarch. He ignored any passing thought that his Aria had recognized who he was and inclined his head so that they may continue on with their mission.

Onward marching, a seemingly endless struggle, until they reached the manor courtyard.

The Lightwarden of Novrandt was a monster in its own right. Stronger, more precise, and the Exarch would argue more _sentient_ than the other forms of sin eater. Yet, Aria faced the creature without batting an eye, which reminded the Exarch of the brave hero that he heard in tales long, long ago. He likened this look to how she may have appeared when felling primals and eikons alike and it only served to feed into his already growing reverence for the woman.

His confidence proved itself and she had brought low the scourge of Lakeland. The deed was done as he hadn’t expected any less of the woman he dedicated his life to save. When he turned to congratulate her, he had found her holding Alisaie in a tight embrace, just as the Leveilleur did in turn.   
She had joined them in the courtyard after sensing the increased prickle of aether even at her distance. Both their expressions were in agony as the Exarch could only assume Aria had explained what had transpired at the Auction. Moreover, the manner in which they held each other suggested that it was Aria that was doing her best to console poor Alisaie while hiding the tears she desperately wanted to shed.

The last thing G’raha Tia wanted was to be the reason to why Aria cries. As he watched the Scions together, sharing the burden of loss, all he wanted to do was call out to her as he had done before and hold her in his arms. He wanted to lay it all bare and speak the truth to her, the emotions tumulting within his breast so fervently that his already clenched hands tightened further into fists.

Mayhap there will be a day where he could do so. Where he would remove his hood, look directly towards Aria’s eyes and ask for the forgiveness he did not deserve. To ask if he would have the honour of pulling her into his embrace as he did before without receiving scorn and rejection in turn. How he desperately wished for such a day to come.

  
However, this day was not to be the day and Holminster Switch was not to be the place.


End file.
